Winner: Storybook Dads

Category: ‘Be part of IT’ – small organisations

“Children are comforted and parents feel proud and empowered”

Storybook Dads uses digital technology to provide learning opportunities for prisoners and help imprisoned parents maintain contact with their children. This helps to reduce re-offending and improve the social and learning outcomes for some of the most marginalised families in society. Imprisoned parents record bedtime stories and messages for their children and then these stories are edited and enhanced by specially trained prisoners who can gain valuable work experience and a qualification in Audio Production. Click here to see a video.

Storybook Dads

Despite being a small charity, in 2011 Storybook Dads reached over 20,000 beneficiaries and trained over 450 prisoners in digital audio or video editing. One, upon her release from prison, has set up her own small editing business. From its humble beginnings 10 years ago in a converted prison cell in Dartmoor Prison, Storybook Dads has now been rolled out to over 100 UK prisons. The scheme is replicated in prisons in the US, Poland, Denmark, Hungary and Australia.

It can be used to maintain family ties in other situations. Storybook Dads has provided ‘start-up’ information to organisations such as fostering/adoption services & hospices and has worked with the Army, Royal Navy and RAF who can use the service for personnel serving abroad.Click here to go to the Storybook Dads website.